| Your catalytic converter can be hazardous to your | | | | car cool down completely before working near the |
| health...literally! Take care of your car and your catalytic | | | | exhaust system. Catalytic converters get very hot, as |
| converter will do what it is supposed to do: reduce | | | | hot as 1800 degrees, and any burn sustained from |
| pollution. | | | | touching a hot converter can be very dangerous, even |
| Government auto emissions control legislation | | | | deadly. |
| mandates that virtually all cars built or sold in the U.S. | | | | Motorists have also learned that a catalytic converter |
| come equipped with a catalytic converter. A smart | | | | can be a fire hazard. For the past three decades |
| device, catalytic converters help to convert dangerous | | | | police and fire department reports have indicated that |
| and polluting exhaust gases into less harmful carbon | | | | many car fires have been started because a motorist |
| dioxide and water. As helpful of a device that it is, | | | | parked their car over dry leaves. Even when the |
| there are some hazards that come with the use of a | | | | engine is off the hot converter can drop a spark which |
| catalytic converter. Read on to learn what you need | | | | can ignite leaves underneath. If that happens, your car |
| to know about your vehicle's catalytic converter. | | | | can be engulfed in mere minutes and destroyed by the |
| Many consider a catalytic converter to be a godsend. | | | | conflagration. |
| With pollution levels ever climbing, the U.S. government | | | | There are also hazards that occur to the catalytic |
| acted to reduce harmful pollutants in a step to clean up | | | | converter itself. Because the unit burns at such hot |
| the environment. The Environmental Protection | | | | temperatures, catalytic converters can suffer rapid |
| Agency was formed by the Nixon Administration and | | | | thermal deactivation. Some experts suggest switching |
| the agency was instrumental in passing the Clean Air | | | | to synthetic engine oil to help reduce phosphorous |
| Act to help America control pollution. Since 1975 | | | | contaminants a known contributor to catalytic |
| virtually every passenger vehicle has come equipped | | | | converter failure. |
| with a catalytic converter. | | | | No, you cannot legally remove your catalytic converter |
| As helpful as catalytic converters can be, they can be | | | | as you may become subject to stiff fines and |
| problematic. Besides catalytic converter failure, which | | | | penalties. Yes, if your car was built before 1975, none |
| generally goes unnoticed until your vehicle flunks its | | | | of these concerns matter to ou so enjoy your classic |
| next inspection, it is the intense heat of the unit that | | | | and let her rip without pollution controls holding you |
| can cause problems. | | | | back! |
| If you work on your own vehicle, you need to let your | | | | |